Inflation needle holder

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to a storage device. Specifically, an inflation needle holding device comprising a compliant base member, having one or more receiving holes for the storage of one or more inflation needles.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a storage device.Specifically, an inflation needle holding device comprising a compliantbase member, having one or more receiving holes for the storage of oneor more inflation needles.

BACKGROUND

Inflation needles are commonly used to inflate certain sports balls,tires, mattresses, and similar inflatable objects. Inflation needlesgenerally attach to one end of a pump or a hose attached to a pump, suchas a hand pump or air compressor.

Inflation needles are generally small metal or plastic pieces that,while being integral to the process of inflating inflatable objects, areeasily lost or misplaced due to their size. There is, therefore, a needin the art for an inflation needle holding device. Embodiments of thepresent invention may solve this need by providing an inflation needleholding device comprised of a pliable material having the ability tosecure and store inflation needles and allow for the easy insertion andremoval of inflation needles from the base of the inflation needlestoring device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an inflation needle storing device and a methodof manufacture and use thereof. In some embodiments, the storage deviceis primarily comprised of a resilient and pliable material and has theability to accessibly and conveniently store one or more inflationneedle holders.

This invention provides an easy and practical storage device designed tohold inflation needles, making it simple, in one respect, to locatestored inflation needles, and in a second respect, to provide aconvenient storage means designed to easily and conveniently expel oneor more inflation needles from within the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Accompanying this written specification is a collection of drawings ofexemplary embodiments of the present invention. One of ordinary skill inthe art would appreciate that these are merely exemplary embodiments,and additional and alternative embodiments may exist and still be withinthe spirit of the invention as described herein.

FIG. 1 shows an inflation needle storing device in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 shows an inflation needle storing device in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an inflation needle storingdevice in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

The present invention generally relates to a storage device for storinginflation needles.

Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to aninflation needle holding device comprised of a compliant base having theability to accommodate and store one or more inflation needles.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the compliant base ismade of a resilient and pliable material, such as rubber or plastic andthe like. In some embodiments, the compliant base has a first and secondend, with the first end generally being of a greater width than thesecond end.

According to embodiments of the present invention, one or more receivingholes are incorporated into the compliant base. In some embodiments, theone or more receiving holes are disposed at the first end of thecompliant base. In some embodiments, the one or more receiving holesextend into the compliant base, creating hollow channels within thecompliant base. In some embodiments, the hollow channels receive thestem and threaded portion of an inflation needle. In some embodiments,the hollow channels receive inflation needle cylindrical stems.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the first end of thecompliant base incorporates a curved orientation in the shape of an arc,crescent or similar semicircular profile. In some embodiments, one ormore receiving holes are disposed along the exterior portion of thesemicircular profile. In some embodiments, when the compliant base is atrest, the size and shape of each receiving hole disposed along thesemicircular profile, and each hollow channel extending therefrom, isslightly smaller than the size and shape of a standard inflation needle,providing a friction fit channel for each individual inflation needle.In some embodiments, when the compliant base is at rest, the diameter ofeach receiving hole disposed along the semicircular profile, and eachhollow channel extending therefrom, is slightly smaller than thediameter of the inflation needle cylindrical stems, providing a frictionfit channel for each individual cylindrical stem. When pressure isapplied to the uppermost tip and bottommost portion of the semicircularprofile, the shape and size of each receiving hole and correspondinghollow channel is briefly and reversibly altered to facilitate the easyand convenient insertion and removal of inflation needles from withinthe receiving holes and corresponding hollow channels.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the compliant baseincorporates a hollow recess, through which a chain, wire, string, orsimilar hanging means may be retained in order to attach the storagedevice to a keychain, bag, wall, or any other location desired by theuser.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, an inflation needle holding device, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is shown. In apreferred embodiment, the inflation needle holding device 100 comprisesa compliant base 101. The base 101 has at least one inflation needlereceiving hole 102. In some embodiments, the receiving hole 102 extendsinto the base 101 creating hollow channels 111 within the base 101. Insome embodiments, inflation needles 110 are received through said atleast one receiving hole 102 and into said hollow channels 111. In someembodiments, the base 101 has a first end 103 and a second end 104. Insome embodiments, the first end 103 is generally greater in width thanthe second end 104. In some embodiments, the first end 103 has a curvedorientation in the shape of an arc, crescent, or similar semicircularprofile 108, having a tip 105 and a bottommost portion 106. In someembodiments, the size and shape of the channels 111 is slightly smallerthan the size and shape of standard inflation needles 110, providing afriction fit channel for the needles 110. In some embodiments, thediameter of the channels 111 is slightly smaller than the diameter ofinflation needle cylindrical stems 109, providing a friction fit channelfor each individual cylindrical stem. In some embodiments, the compliantbase includes a hollow recess (not shown) through which a chain, wire,string, or similar hanging means may be retained in order to attach thestorage device to a keychain, bag, wall, or any other location desiredby the user. In some embodiments, one or more receiving holes 102 aredisposed along an exterior portion 107 of the semicircular profile 108with hollow channels 111 extending therefrom into the base 101 such thatapplying pressure to the uppermost tip 105 of the semicircular profile108 and bottommost portion 106 of the semicircular profile 108 briefly,and reversibly, alters the shape and size of each receiving hole 102 andeach corresponding hollow channel to facilitate the easy and convenientinsertion and removal of inflation needles from within base 101.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of an inflation needleholder, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, isshown. In a preferred embodiment, one or more receiving holes 102 aredisposed along an exterior portion 107 of the semicircular profile 108with hollow channels 111 extending therefrom into the base 101.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of oneof more of the associated listed items. It will further be understoodthat the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in thisspecification, specify the presence of stated features, steps,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthis detailed description. The invention is capable of myriadmodifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddescriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and notrestrictive.

1. An inflation needle storage device comprising: a compliant base,wherein said base is resilient and pliable, has a first and second end,and comprises at least one inflation needle receiving hole; wherein saidfirst end of said base has a curved profile comprising at least twocompression points; wherein said at least one inflation needle receivinghole is disposed between a first said compression point and a secondsaid compression point and extends into said base creating a hollowchannel within said base, said hollow channel able to receive and holdat least a portion of an inflation needle; wherein a concave flexiblejoint extends between said first and second ends of said base andprovides expansion leverage to said curved profile to facilitate theexpansion of each receiving hole and corresponding hollow channel inproportion to the extent of flexion of said flexible joint; and whereinpressing said first compression point towards said second compressionpoint flexes said concave flexible joint to increase the curvature ofsaid curved profile and expand said at least one inflation needlereceiving hole.
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. The storage device ofclaim 1 wherein the hollow channel receives and holds the length andcircumference of an inflation needle cylindrical stem.
 5. The storagedevice of claim 1 wherein the hollow channel receives and holds thecylindrical stem and threaded portion of an inflation needle.
 6. Thestorage device of claim 1 wherein the compliant base is made of plastic,rubber, or any similar resilient and pliable material.
 7. The storagedevice of claim 1 wherein a hollow recess is incorporated into thecompliant base.
 8. An inflation needle storage device comprising: acompliant base; wherein said base is resilient and pliable, has a firstand second end, and comprises at least one inflation needle receivinghole; wherein said first end of said base has a curved profilecomprising at least two compression points; wherein said at least oneinflation needle receiving hole is disposed between a first saidcompression point and a second said compression point and extends intosaid base creating a hollow channel within said base, said hollowchannel comprising an inner and outer channel, the inner channelextending from the outer channel and adapted to receive and hold acylindrical stem of an inflation needle, and the outer channel adaptedto receive and hold a threaded pipe of an inflation needle; wherein aconcave flexible joint extends between said first and second ends ofsaid base and provides expansion leverage to said curved profile tofacilitate the expansion of each receiving hole and corresponding hollowchannel in proportion to the extent of flexion of said flexible joint;and wherein pressing the first said compression point towards the secondsaid compression point flexes said concave flexible joint to increasethe curvature of said curved profile and expand said inner and outerhollow channel to facilitate the easy insertion or removal of saidinflation needle cylindrical stem and threaded pipe into or from said atleast one hollow channel.
 9. The storage device of claim 8 wherein thecompliant base is made of plastic, rubber, or any similar resilient andpliable material.
 10. (canceled)
 11. (canceled)
 12. (canceled)
 13. Thestorage device of claim 8 wherein a hollow recess is incorporated intothe compliant base.
 14. An inflation needle storage device comprising: acompliant base; wherein said base is resilient and pliable, has a firstand second end, and comprises at least one inflation needle receivinghole; wherein said first end of said base has a curved profilecomprising at least one inflation needle receiving hole disposed betweenat least two compression points; wherein a concave flexible jointextending between said first and second ends of said base is configuredto flex to direct said first end towards said second end of the base andto increase the expansion potential of said curved profile and saidreceiving hole; wherein said at least one inflation needle receivinghole extends into said base creating a hollow channel within said basesaid hollow channel able to receive and hold at least a portion of aninflation needle; and wherein pressing a first said compression pointtowards a second said compression point flexes said concave flexiblejoint to increase the curvature of said curved profile and expand saidat least one inflation needle receiving hole to facilitate the insertionor removal of said inflation needle into or from said at least onehollow channel, the extent of expansion of each receiving hole andcorresponding hollow channel being proportional to the extent ofcompression of the concave flexible joint.
 15. The storage device ofclaim 14 wherein the compliant base is made of plastic, rubber, or anysimilar resilient and pliable material.
 16. The storage device of claim14 wherein the hollow channel receives and holds the length andcircumference of an inflation needle cylindrical stem.
 17. The storagedevice of claim 14 wherein the hollow channel receives and holds thecylindrical stem and threaded portion of an inflation needle.
 18. Thestorage device of claim 14 wherein a hollow recess is incorporated intothe compliant base.
 19. (canceled)
 20. (canceled)
 21. (canceled) 22.(canceled)
 23. (canceled)
 24. The storage device of claim 1, wherein asqueezing motion directs an upper portion of said first end towards saidsecond end of said resilient base.
 25. The storage device of claim 8,wherein said inner and outer channels are adapted to prevent theinadvertent removal of inserted inflation needles.
 26. The storagedevice of claim 1, wherein compressing said concave flexible jointreleases the hold of said outer hollow channel on the inflation needlethreaded pipes.
 27. The storage device of claim 8, wherein theflexibility of said concave flexible joint increases the expansionpotential of said curved profile said receiving holes and said hollowchannels.